Apparatus for applying flock



Feb. 13, 1962 c. c. sovlA ETAL 3,021,079

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLocx Filed Jan. 9. 1959 United States Patent3,021,079 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLOCK Cedric C. Soria, Forest Lake,Minn., and Henry Papp,

Santa Clara, Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments,

to General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of DelawareFiled Jan. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 785,945 8 Claims. (Cl. 239-306) Thisinvention relates to apparatus and methods of applying fibrous materialsto various surfaces. More particularly, it relates to methods andapparatus for mixing and blowing a mixture of adhesive and the fibrousmaterials to be applied with an adhesive actuator upon a surface to becoated with the fibrous material.

The application of fibrous materials such as llock to various surfaceshas conventionally been performed by dissolving an adhesive in water andthen first coating the surface to be treated with the aqueous solution,then permitting the same to dry somewhat to acquire a tacky nature, andthen blowing the fibrous material upon this tacky surface so that itwill adhere thereto. These methods have obvious disadvantages whichinclude, among others, the fact that it is a time consuming, tedioustask and it is difficult to apply the material in any appreciable layerthickness without repeated applications with successive drying periodsthereinbetween. An even greater disadvantage however, is the tendencywhich the dissolved adhesive has to clog up the orifices of the spraynozzles through which the dissolved adhesive is applied. Our inventionis designed to eliminate these disadvantages and at the same timeprovide a novel and improved method of applying such materials in aquicker and more effective manner.

It is a general object of our invention to provide a novel and improvedmethod and apparatus for applying flock or similar fibrous material to asurface.

A more specific object is to provide a novel and irnproved spray gunconstructed and designed to apply flock or similar fibrous material to asurface by a novel method which inherently effects the application ofthe flock in an improved and more effective manner than heretoforeknown.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved method of applyingflock and similar fibrous materials to a surface to be coated therewithwhich method will substantially reduce the cost and time involved inmaking such applications and will insure a more effective coating of thematerial on the surface.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved method of applyingflock and similar fibrous materials to a surface to be coated therewithwhich will permit the coating to be built up to a substantial layer ofthickness without utilizing intermittent drying periods to accomplishthe same.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved applicator for flockand similar fibrous materials which is simple in construction and can bemanufactured inexpensively and yet will apply the flock or similarmaterial in a more effective manner than heretofore known.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved method for applyingflock and similar fibrous materials to surfaces to be coated therewithwhich method will result in a more effective mixing of the adhesive withthe adhesive actuator and the flock to permit a relatively thick layerof the latter to be built up upon the surface to be coated therewithwithout intermittent drying and adhesive applying periodsthereinbetween.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved flock applicating gunand flock container, each of which can be manufactured inexpensively andwhich may be 2 connected together cooperatively in an unusually simpleand effective manner.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved flock applicating gun,the valves of which are so interrelated that the user is always assuredthat the adhesive actuator is being discharged whenever the mixture offlock and adhesive is being discharged from the receptacle whichcontains the flock and adhesive.

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will more fullyappear from the following description, made in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to thesame or similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of our inventionwith portions thereof broken away;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the receptacle which we havedesigned to hold the flock and facilitate attachment and detachmentrelative to the flock applicating gun;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of our flock applicating gun;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the gun with the flock containingreceptacle removed therefrom;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 3; v

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view of the sealing and gun engaging meanscarried by the flock containing receptacle; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along lines 8 8 ofFIG. 2.

The embodiment of our invention that is shown in FIGS. l-8 includes, areceptacle indicated generally by the numeral 10 which is secured to aflock applicator gun indicated generally by the numeral 11 which in turnis connected to a container 12. The invention claimed herein consists ofthe method and apparatus for applying the 'fibrous materials such asflock to a surface, and is not intended to include claims directed tothe unique construction of the receptacle 10. The invention disclosedwith respect to the receptacle 10 herein will be claimed in a separateand divisional application.

The receptacle 10 is preferably a bag having wall structure formed ofthin flexible heat scalable material 13 such as polyethylene. Theparticular receptacle 10 which we utilize with my flock applicator gun11 is provided with an annular thickened resilient portion 14 which isin the nature of an outwardly extending annular rib. This rib 14 may beformed, if desired, in the construction of the bag or, as preferred andas shown herein may be applied to the receptacle 10 by heat sealing sucha structure as the thickened por-tion 14 to the wall structure of thebag. This can best be seen by reference to FIG. 7 and 8. A secondrelatively thick portion which is annular in shape and preferablyconcentric with the annular rib 14 is designated by the numeral 15 andthis thickened portion 15 is likewise heat sealed to the wall structure13 of the bag. It will be noted by reference to FIG. 8 that there is arelatively thin intermediate portion 16 also heat sealed to the wallstructure 13 of the bag and disposed between the thickened annularportion 15 and the thickened annular portion 16. This relatively thinarea serves a very useful purpose as will be hereinafter described. Itwill also be noted that a tab 17 is carried by the thickened portion 15.The purpose of this unique construction is to provide a ready means foropening the receptacle 10 in such a manner that it will not be reusableand will provide a quickly available opening within the annular rib 14,for when the user pulls on the tab 17 the thickened annular portion 15will tear the relatively thin area 16 to thereby remove all of the wallstructure of the bag'within the thickened annular portion 14. Thisprovides the necessary opening for communication between the interior ofthe receptacle and the interior of the material-conveying branch conduitof the gun 11 which will be hereinafter described.

We have found that we can obviate the disadvantage of clogging of theorifices through which the adhesive actuator is sprayed by mixing theflock well with a powdered adhesive within the receptacle 10 so thateach particle of the fiock will carry at least one particle of adhesiveand preferably will be dusted on all sides with such adhesive. Thus,when the flock becomes airborne and is carried outwardly from thereceptacle 10 it carries with it a certain amount of powdered adhesivewhich can be activated by water or some other satisfactory liquid.

The container 12 may be an ordinary type container, preferably with athreaded upper end portion adapted to threadedly engage a -cover memberindicated generally by the numeral 18. This cover member 18 of the gun11 carries an air conduit 19 which is adapted to be connected to asource of a strong flow of air. lFor the sake of simplicity and to makemy apparatus more readily usable by housewives, We have found ythat theair conduit 19 may be connected by a exible hose such as 20 to thedischarge of a vacuum cleaner of a type which is com- Inonly found inmodern homes. The vacuum cleaner and the connection thereto has not beenshown herein because it does not constitute a part of the invention andbecause any readily available source of o-w of air may be utilized.

The air conduit 19 has a branch conduit 21 which as shown has adischarge end portion indicated by the numeral 22. A tube 23 extendswithin the branch conduit 22 and terminates at the discharge end portionas best shown in FIG. 5. This tube 23 extends downwardly through thewall structure of 4the branch conduit 22 and through thecover 18 to aposition adjacent the bottom of the container 12 as best shown inFIG. 1. The tube 23 is positioned in this manner so that as the strongow of air rushes through the air conduit 19 and the branch conduit 22,the water or other adhesive actuator which will be carried in thecontainer 12 will be drawn outwardly through the small ltube 23 anddischarged at the discharge end portion 22 whereat it will be bro-keninto ne spray form by the action of the outwardly rushing air throughthe discharge end portion 22 of the branch conduit 21. It will be notedthat -the spray of Water emanatingfrom the tube 23 will be in anunconfined ow. The, air conduit 19 has a second branch which constitutesa material-conveying branch conduit 24. This branch conduit 24 extendsparallel to the branch conduit 21V for a major portion of its length andthen angles inwardly and terminates in a terminal portion indicated bythe numeral 25. It will be noted that this terminal portion 25 isdirected in such a way that the flow therefrom will converge with thetlow from the discharge end portion 22 of the'branch conduit 21 and thatthe ow from each of thesek branch conduits will be unconfined at theirpoint of juncture.

The material-conveying branch conduit 24 has a transversely extendingbarrier or plug 26 within which Iis a relatively small opening 27 whichextends longitudinally of -the branch conduit 24 and gives direction tothe flow of the fibrous material such as ock and adhesive after itleavesV the receptacle 10.' The major portion of the air which tiowsinto the branch conduit 24, however, is directed laterally by a llowdirecting element such as scoop 28. This scoop 28 as can best be seen inFIGS. 1 and 3 extends laterally to within the contines of the receptacle1t) and has -its opening directed downwardly and slightly rearwardlyv soas to cause theow of air to be directed toward the bottom of thereceptacle 10 and thereby insure that the flock and adhesive will beproperly entrained in the dow of air whichis forced through thereceptacle. It will be noted that the scoop 2t;v is disposed rearwardlyof 4 the barrier 26. The material-conveying conduit 24 is also providedwith a material inlet 29 and it will be noted that this inlet isdisposed forwardly of the barrier 26. Thus, it can be readily seen thatthe major portion of the air ilow which enters the material-conveyingconduit 24 passes laterally into the receptacle 10 via the scoop 28 andentrains a portion of the flock and adhesive which it carries outwardlywith it through the material inlet 29 back into the interior of thematerial-conveying conduit 24. As it re-enters the material-conveyingconduit 24, the flow -is given a directional impetus by the minorportion of the air oW which passes longitudinally of thematerial-conveying conduit 24 through the opening 27 and thus theairborne dow of tiock and adhesive is carried outwardly longitudinallyof the discharge end portion 2S of the branch conduit 24. It will benoted that the ow of flock and adhesive is uncontined after it leavesthe discharge end portion 25 and that it remains in this form until itconverges with -an intermixes with the flow from the branch conduit 21at approxim-ately the point indicated by the letter X in FIG. 3.

It will be noted that the material-conveying conduit 24 has a recessedportion 30 which is shaped to conform to the shape of the annularthickened portion 14 of the receptacle 10. The size of this recessed'portion is such that the resilient rib 14 will tit therein in snugfrictional engaging relation. It will also be noted that the materialcarrying branch conduit 24 also supports apair of opstanding sharpenedpins 31 and 32 at the upper side of the recessed portion 30. These pins31 and 32 are provided to cooperate with apertures 33 and 34 in a tabportion 35 connected to the rib 14. To apply the receptacle -10 to thegun 11 the user merely pulls the tab 17 and thereby opens the receptacle10 as hereinbefore described and then inserts the pins 31 and 32 in theopenings 33 and '34 and perforates the sealed oif portion of the bag andthen snaps the annular rib or thickened portion 14 into place within therecessed portion 30 of the branch conduit 24. This provides an extremelysimple, effective and quick means for positively securing the receptacle10 in sealed relation to the gun 11.

Each of the branch conduits 21 and 24 is provided with a slidable valvewhich interlocks so that the user may always rest assured that thebranch conduit 21 has air flowing therethrough whenever air is flowingthrough the branch conduit 24. The branch conduit 24 is provided with avertically slidable imperforate valve member 36 which has a laterallyextending ear 37 that extends toward the branch conduit 21. Directlyopposite to this valve member 36 and extending across the interior ofthe branch -conduit 21 is a second valve member 38 provided with alaterally extending interengaging ear 39 which as best shown in FIG. 1overlaps the ear 37 so that whenever the valve 36 is lifted to open thesame, the valve 38 must also necessarily be lifted and opened therewith.The valve 38 isl provided with -a by-pass 40 which causes the flow ofair to be directed outwardly of the gun through the upper portion of thevalve 38 when the valve is closed.

From the above it can be readily seen that We have provided a novel andunusually simple dock applicator which can be manufactured inexpensivelyand will apply brous materials such as flock in a more effective manner.By mixing the adhesive or glue with the fiock, we insure a more completemixing thereof and insure that each par ticle of Hock is supplied with asufficient amount of adhesive to cause the same to adhere to the surfaceto which it is to be applied. By eliminating the adhesive from the wateror liquid normally provided from the container 12, We have completelyeliminated the undesirable feature or result which normally is attainedwhen the adhesive is mixed within the adhesive actuator which in thiscase is water, for in such instances, as hereinbeforedescribed, theoriiices soon become plugged by dried adhesive.

Even more important however, is the fact that through the use of my gun,we acquire a more complete and effecanchova" tive mixing of the ock withthe adhesive and the adhesive actuator. It will be noted that the flowof the water spray from the branch conduit 21 is uncontined at the timethat it meets the unconiined iiow of the flock and adhesive after it hasleft the terminal portion of the branch conduit 24. It will also benoted that I am blowing the adhesive and the flock into the ow of waterspray rather than the contrary. We have found that by so doing, weattain a more effective mixing of the adhesive with the tiock and theadhesive actuator and insure that each particle of the ock is providedwith an ample supply of actuated adhesive so that it will adhere to thesurface toward which it is directed by the flow of water spray. With ourapparatus it is possible to build up the layer thickness of ock to anydesired thickness. This can be accomplished without any drying periodsbetween successive applications of the ock, the entire application beingaccomplished through a continuous operation.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportion of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of our invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A hand-supported, finely divided fibrous materials applicator guncomprising, a liquid container, a conduit mounted on the exterior ofsaid container and adapted to be connected to a source of a rapid ow ofair, a branch conduit connected in communicating relation with said airconduit to receive a rapid ow of air therefrom, said branch conduithaving a discharge end portion, a tube of relatively small boreextending from the interior of said container into said branch conduitand terminating at the discharge end portion thereof and directedoutwardly therefrom whereby the liquid in said container will be drawnoutwardly through said tube and discharged in a tine spray owlongitudinally of said branch conduit when such a rapid flow of airiiows therethrough, a material-conveying branch conduit connected incommunicating relation with said air conduit to receive a rapid ow ofair therefrom and having a terminal portion disposed adjacent thedischarge end portion of said iirst mentioned branch conduit and throughwhich the flow of air is discharged and directed in converging relationwith the flow of liquid spray from said first mentioned branch conduit,a receptacle containing fibrous materials connected to saidmaterial-conveying branch conduit in communicating relation with theinterior thereof to permit a portion of the ow of air through saidmaterial-conveying branch conduit to pass through said receptacle andthereby entrain a portion of the contents of said receptacle and conveythe same to the terminal portion of said material-conveying branchconduit, whereby an airborne ow of such materials will be dischargedfrom said terminal portion of said branch conduit in an unconned iiowinto an unconned iiow of liquid spray from the discharge end portion ofsaid iirst mentioned branch conduit.

2. The structure detined in claim l wherein said material-conveyingbranch conduit is constructed and arranged to direct the major portionof the air iiow therethrough into the interior of said receptacle and aminor portion of the air flow therethrough in by-passing relation tosaid receptacle to provide improved direction to the airborne flow ofsuch materials through the terminal portion of said material-conveyingbranch conduit.

3. The structure defined in claim l wherein said material-conveyingbranch conduit includes a laterally extending iiow-directing elementextending into said receptacle and directing a ow of air thereinto,downwardly Within said receptacle and also includes a material inlet bymeans of which the airborne ow of material may enter saidmaterial-conveying branch conduit from said receptacle.

4. The structure defined in claim 1 and a pair of valve elements oneeach of which is disposed within each of said branch conduits foropening and closing oi said branch conduits to control the ow of airtherethrough, saidvalve elements being arranged in interengagingrelation to insure that said rst mentioned branch conduit will always beopen when said material-conveying branch conduit is open.

5. The structure defined in claim 1 and receptacle engagement meanscarried by said material-conveying branch conduit for engaging saidreceptacle and holding the interior of thesame in communicatingrelationwith the interior of said material-conveying branch conduit.

6. The structure defined in claim 1 and receptacle engagement meanscarried by said material-conveying branch conduit for engaging saidreceptacle and holding the interior of the same in communicatingrelation with the interior of said material-conveying branch conduit,said engagement means including an annularly shaped recessed portionsurrounding the areas of communication between said receptacle `and saidmaterial-conveying branch conduit.

7. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said terminal portion ofsaid material-conveying conduit branch is disposed laterally and aheadof the discharge end portion of said iirst mentioned branch conduit andis directed into the ow emanating from said discharge end portion, saiddischarge end portion and said terminal portion being so arrangedrelative to each other so that the flows emanating therefrom will beunconlined as they meet.

8. In a hand-supported, finely divided fibrous material applicator gun,a cover member adapted to be removably secured to a liquid container, aconduit mounted on the exterior of said cover member and adapted to beconnected to a source of a rapid ow of air, a branch conduit connectedin communicating relation with said air conduit to receive a rapid flowof air therefrom, said branch conduit having a discharge end portion, atube of relatively small bore carried by said cover member and extendingfrom the discharge end portion of said branch conduit through saidbranch conduit and downwardly through said cover member a substantialdistance to adapt the same to extend to a position adjacent the bottomof a container when such is connected to said cover member, said tubebeing directed outwardly at the discharge end portion of said airconduit whereby the liquid from such a container when secured to saidcover member will be drawn outwardly through said tube and discharged ina ne spray flow longitudinally of said branch conduit when such a rapidflow of air tiows therethrough, a material-conveying branch conduitconnected in communicating relation with said air conduit to receive arapid flow of air therefrom and having a terminal portion disposedadjacent the discharge end portion of said lirst mentioned branchconduit `and through which the flow of air is discharged and directed inconverging relation to the discharge from said first mentioned branchconduit, receptacle engagement means carried by said material-conveyingbranch conduit for securing a materials receptacle thereto and holdingthe same with its interior in communicating relation with the interiorof said material-conveying branch conduit, and means carried by saidmaterial-conveying conduit branch for directing a portion of its air owthrough the interior of such a receptacle when the latter is so securedto said material conveying branch conduit by said receptacle engagingmeans.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS808,236 Hahn Dec. 26, 1905 984,254 Akeley Feb. 14, 1911 1,583,918 DunnMay 11, 1926 1,718,507 Wenzel et al. June 25, 1929 1,731,953 ThomsonOct. l5, 1929 2,313,082 MacDonald Mar. 9. 1943 (Other references oufollowing page) UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Y2,380,827 DownsJuly 31, 1945 622,961 Germany June 30, 1938 2,460,347 Heuer Feb. 1, 19492,462,262 Gusiaisson et a1 2 Feb. 22, 1949 OTHER REFERENCES 2,495,54ONichols Jan- 24, 1950 5 Flock Finishing, Pari 11i, organic Finishing,Decem- 2,543,517 Anderson Feb. 27, 1951 ber 1952, pages 1g 21 2,757,048Banner July 31, 1956 2,813,751 Barrett Nov. 19, 1957 2,850,4211110111155011y Sept. 2, 1958

